Hey everyone,
I'm holding a question and answer session starting now until tomorrow (8/28) night. If you have any questions, put it in the comments below, and I'll reply on this page. If you don't have a blogger account, you can comment anonymously.
Feel free to ask about anything freshmen year related - four year plans, academics, textbooks, dorms, places to eat... whatever! I'll answer questions promptly.
My friend, S, (she doesn't want to use her real name here), will also be helping me answer questions. She's a junior in the business school.
How easy is it to get a job? I'm really worried if i cant find one.
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteI wouldn't be too worried about finding a job. I know a lot of people who are employed by Eppley (the gym). Also, a lot of people work on campus at the dining halls.
Here's the website to apply for a job with the campus recreation services (gym):
http://recwell.umd.edu/Resources/Employment
And here's the link to working for the dining halls:
http://dining.umd.edu/contact/employment/student-opportunities/
There are many places you can work on campus. If you're in the Honors College, there's a listserv that has job information/announcements on it. I'm pretty sure Scholars and other programs have listservs with these announcements too. Even colleges will have their own emails announcing job openings/research positions.
Also, there are a lot of businesses on Rt 1 if you are looking for something off campus.
Hope this helps! If you need any clarification, let me know.
How do you know what time the buses come and where the stops are located?
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteYou can use Nextbus to find out what time buses come. It's an app.
http://www.transportation.umd.edu/nextbus.html
You can also go here for the bus schedules:
http://www.transportation.umd.edu/schedules.html
Bus stops are located throughout campus. There are at least signs (white) that say what routes this stop is for. For more popular stops (near the dorms, usually), there are bus shelters. Bus shelters may have electronic signs on them that tell you when the next bus is coming and in how many minutes.
The main bus stops on campus though are Regents (to go to the metro station, for example) and at Stamp.
There are special buses too that can take you back home if you live out of state and in the New Jersey/New York area. I don't know too much about these buses, but they usually run around Thanksgiving/Winter break/Spring break.
Hope this helps!
Where do you get food if you have a late class? Do or can you bring your food to classes? For the morning classes, and tight schedules, where do you get your food? Because when I look at the diner and other places to eat, they either open a bit later or they're unreachable in between classes.
ReplyDeleteHello!
DeleteIf you have a late class, you can go to the dining hall to buy food in a take-out container and either a) save it in your room/fridge until you get back from class or b) eat it in class. Most professors don't care if it's a big lecture. But if it's a lab, you might not be able to eat (safety reasons). Also, if you're taking communications or INAG, you might not be able to eat it in class because presentations/speeches/instructor won't let you because it's rude to eat while someone's presenting their speech.
For morning classes - usually, I stop by the diner while walking to class. I grab a bagel or something portable and eat it while walking. Some people just don't eat breakfast and wait until after their class. It depends on your schedule.
There's also a food truck on campus! If you don't feel like trekking halfway across campus to the dining halls, you can buy food from the food truck.
Link here: http://umdgreentidings.com/ (pretty sure terpbucks work here, but check)
Last year, the food truck was mostly near the art/sociology building or the armory (halfway between North and South dining halls).
If you're passing by STAMP between classes, you can also get food there. You can use TerpBucks or Terrapin Express at the convenience store in the basement or at the cafe on the first floor (behind the information desk). You will have to use real cash though or Terrapin Express at the food court of the mall (McDonald's/Chick-fil-a/Panda Express, etc.)
Correction: not "food court of the mall" - I meant, food court of STAMP.
DeleteHow do you find parties?
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteI'm not a partier, so I asked my friend (who does go to parties) about this. She basically said that you just have to meet people, and they'll invite you/you'll hear from them. Also, sometimes, parties are advertised on social media (for example, but not limited to: yik yak). She also said that you can join a fraternity or a sorority.
How do you know which clubs to join and what types of clubs there are? it's such a big campus i don't know where to start
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteBelow is a link to OrgSync, an online directory of clubs here at UMD. You can browse for clubs that spark your interest; there are service clubs, singing clubs, dancing clubs, anything really! It's such a large campus that there's a whole variety. There are also religious groups too such as CRU (Christian fellowship).
http://orgsync.umd.edu/browse_student_organizations
There is also the first look fair which is held on the mall. This year, it's on Sept 16 and 17th. Clubs will advertise themselves and hand out brochures/flyers. You can ask the people there more about their clubs/what they do/what time they meet.
:)
Is the UMD campus map app really reliable? I downloaded it recently but I'm not entirely sure how to use it. Does it only work while you're on campus?
ReplyDeleteHello!
DeleteI'm not sure what app you're referring to specifically. Are you talking about TerpNav? TerpNav is ridiculously awesome and most definitely reliable. I never ran into a problem using TerpNav.
If you clarify which app, I may be able to help more. :)
And regarding TerpNav - you can access it from your phone or laptop anywhere. You don't have to be on campus to use it. Here's the link: https://terpnav.umd.edu/
DeleteI wrote a small post on it: http://www.umdexplained.com/2015/08/how-to-find-your-way-around-campus-use.html
Haha sorry about that, I was referring to the CampusMapsActivity app. I just checked TerpNav and it's really helpful! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad to help! Let me know if you have any more questions.
DeleteHow far away is the college park metro station? Would you say it's a walkable distance?
ReplyDeleteNot too far. If you take the 104 bus, it's approximately a ten minute bus ride (usually a little less than that). Schedule here: http://www.dots.umd.edu/shuttle/schedules/current/104_CPM.pdf
DeleteAssuming you live on North Campus, it'll be approximately a 2 mile walk to the metro station. A little bit more if you live near CSPAC (Denton/Easton/Oakland) and a little less if you live in the Cambridge community. You can definitely make it there on foot (my friend jogs there), but I recommend taking the bus.
May I ask what are Terpbucks again? And also, would you recommend using Terrapin Express?
ReplyDeleteTerpbucks are different than dining points. Dining points can be used in the dining halls and at Adele's (the sit-down restaurant on the top floor of Stamp) for only dinner. Terpbucks can be used at the variety of cafes located throughout campus. All of the major buildings have their own cafes: the engineering school, the business school, McKeldin, etc. Terpbucks can also be used at the little convenience stores on campus: the 24-hour shop, the Commons shop, etc.
DeleteTerrapin Express is essentially real money that you put on your swipe to make transactions easier in Stamp. You can use Terrapin Express everywhere: at the foodcourt in Stamp, at the diner (after your points run out), etc. I have never used it, because I have never needed it. However, if you foresee often eating in Stamp or running out of dining points before the end of the semester, then Terrapin Express is a good idea.
Terpbucks are different than dining points. Dining points can be used in the dining halls and at Adele's (the sit-down restaurant on the top floor of Stamp) for only dinner. Terpbucks can be used at the variety of cafes located throughout campus. All of the major buildings have their own cafes: the engineering school, the business school, McKeldin, etc. Terpbucks can also be used at the little convenience stores on campus: the 24-hour shop, the Commons shop, etc.
ReplyDeleteTerrapin Express is essentially real money that you put on your swipe to make transactions easier in Stamp. You can use Terrapin Express everywhere: at the foodcourt in Stamp, at the diner (after your points run out), etc. I have never used it, because I have never needed it. However, if you foresee often eating in Stamp or running out of dining points before the end of the semester, then Terrapin Express is a good idea.